RCGP vote opposes physician associates in General Practice

In a hardening of its previous stance, the governing council of the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) has voted to oppose a role for physician associates (PAs) working in general practice. 

The council also agreed to publish guidance to support GP practices already employing about 2000 PAs across the country. 

In June, the college urged practices to halt recruitment of PAs following a consultation suggesting that more than 80% of GPs believed they were having a negative impact on patient safety. 

At the latest council meeting, votes cast on a motion to oppose the role of PAs working in general practice were 61% in agreement versus 31% disagreeing, with 8% abstaining. 

Dr Helen Salisbury, senior medical education fellow in the Nuffield Department of Primary Care at the University of Oxford, told Medscape News UK after the council vote that the clause effectively gave exceptions to the scope of practice guidance, which "totally undermined the rest of it", and would have led to differential responsibilities among different PAs. 

She was "relieved" by the verdict. "For those of us who have been concerned about unrestricted scope of practice for PAs and the implications for patient safety, this is really good news."

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Source: Medscape News UK, 23 September 2024